


Who I Am

by ironxprince



Series: Asexual Peter Parker [1]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Asexual Character, Asexual Peter Parker, Asexuality, Gen, Parent Tony Stark, Peter Parker Needs a Hug, Precious Peter Parker, Protective Tony Stark, Tony Stark Acting as Peter Parker's Parental Figure, Tony Stark Has A Heart
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-03
Updated: 2020-06-03
Packaged: 2021-03-04 04:21:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 927
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24527557
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ironxprince/pseuds/ironxprince
Summary: Peter is proud of his asexuality. That being said, he hasn't yet told anyone about it, and he doesn't plan to.But Tony finds out anyway.
Relationships: Peter Parker & Tony Stark
Series: Asexual Peter Parker [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1772581
Comments: 11
Kudos: 283





	Who I Am

Peter wasn’t ashamed of his asexuality, but it wasn’t anything he went around declaring, either. It was just a part of him. He was comfortable with it; he didn’t need other’s approval. It wasn’t something other people needed to know.

He was proud of it, though. It was  _ him _ . Ned had taken him to pride last year; he felt a tad out of place, but he waved the black, gray, white, and purple flag Ned had bought for him, running alongside the parade and letting it trail out behind him. That was when Ned had snapped the photo, the one Peter now used as his phone lockscreen; a breeze pushing Peter’s hair out of his face, the flag billowing freely behind him. Peter was in the air, mid-jump, and although the photo was taken from behind, Peter remembered - he was smiling. Laughing, actually.

He loved that photo - he smiled every time he saw it - and as he grew comfortable with his sexuality, as he constantly kept his phone on his person, he didn’t fear anyone seeing it. Not that he was ashamed; he just didn’t think it was any of their business.

_ (And maybe they would ridicule him if they knew. Peter tried not to think about that part.) _

Peter was making pancakes in the kitchen when his phone beeped on the table where Tony was sitting, sketching out equations.

“Who is it?” Peter called over to him as he scooped a pancake from the pan onto a waiting plate.

“Um... MJ,” Tony read out. “Extra decathlon practice this Tuesday.”

Peter hummed his acknowledgement as he turned off the stove and brought the serving plate of pancakes to the table, setting them down in time to see Tony smile faintly at Peter’s phone before turning it off. Peter squinted at Tony as he dropped a couple of pancakes onto his plate.

“What?”

“Hm?”

“Why’d you smile like that?”

“Your wallpaper. It’s cute.” Peter tensed suddenly. He never thought he’d fear Tony knowing about his sexuality, but now that the topic was on the table, he... he was  _ terrified _ . “That was at pride, right? You told me Ned went with you?”

Peter forced himself to nod. “Uh, yeah.” He filled his mouth with pancake, hoping Tony would just drop the topic, and for a while, he thought he was safe.

“You look happy.”

“You can’t see my face.”

“I can read your body posture, and I’m imagining your signature Parker grin, eyes almost squinted shut with how wide you’re smiling, right?”

Peter met Tony’s expectant grin, and couldn’t help but supply one himself. “Yeah,” he said quietly. “Spot on.”

Tony nodded triumphantly. “I know my boy.” But Tony was absentmindedly dragging his fork across his plate. He wanted to say something else.

“What flag is that?” he continued, keeping his eyes down and his voice light. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen that one before.”

Peter took a deep breath. He found his fork trembling as he reached for another piece. “Asexuality.”

Tony hummed in acknowledgement, eyes lifting slightly. “Meaning what?”

“Lack of sexual attraction,” Peter supplied quickly. “No desire for sex.” He had spent hours thinking over the best definition in case he was ever asked, the words that would be easiest for others to understand, make it the hardest for them to tease him over.

Tony had one piece of pancake left on his plate now. He toyed with it, hesitant to put it in his mouth, as if giving Peter the chance to say something if he needed to.

Peter figured this was as good as a time as any.

“I think....” Tony lifted his gaze to Peter’s.  _ Nope. Abort. Bad idea _ .

Tony reached across the table and placed a hand over Peter’s trembling fingers. Peter hadn’t even realized they were shaking until he felt what  _ stable  _ was supposed to be.

“Anything you want to tell me, I’m here for you,” he said, smiling softly. Peter met his eyes hesitantly.

“I think... I may be asexual.” Peter dropped his gaze, pulling his hand from beneath Tony’s to stuff another piece of pancake in his mouth as his cheeks burned read. His eyes were down. He refused to lift them-

Arms were wrapping around him from behind.

Peter looked up. Tony had stood, moving behind him, enveloping him in a hug, and Peter hadn’t even realized.

He also hadn’t realized how much he needed a hug, how much Tony’s approval actually meant to him.

Tears began to well up in his eyes as he leaned back against Tony’s chest.

“I’m proud of you,” Tony said quietly. “Really. Thank you for telling me.”

Peter sniffled. “I mean, it might not be true- I might just be a late bloomer-”

“And if that’s the case, then you’ll figure it out later, and that word won’t apply to you anymore. That’s perfectly okay. Does the word apply now?”

“I-I think so.”

“Do you like using it? You seem pretty happy in the photo.”

Peter smiled. “Yeah. I-I like it a lot.”

“Then it applies,” Tony said simply, readjusting his hold to support Peter better.

And Peter didn’t know just how much he needed that validation, the acknowledgement that, yes, this was a real thing, that it didn’t just exist in his mind. That is was a part of him, that he was  _ accepted  _ for it - at least, by those who mattered.

He could pretend he was okay all he wanted, but at the end of the day, he needed support.

Peter was lucky he had Tony in his corner.


End file.
